The Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is committed to excellence in translational research and education. Research in our department is focused mainly on understanding the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), using a multidisciplinary approach, aimed at identifying new diagnostic/prognostic markers and treatment strategies to the benefit of our patients. Research projects cover all aspects of rhinological research from pathophysiological aspects of CRS to the identification and validation of new treatment strategies in vitro and in vivo, bringing research from bench to bedside.

Our Department of ENT has an excellent track record of Honours and Higher degree supervision with a 100% completion rate. Professor PJ Wormald was recognized for “Excellence in Research Supervision” by The University of Adelaide in 2013. We are always interested in students that have exceptional motivation and are passionate about research and in return we provide them with full support in terms of research supervision direction.

The role of Staphylococcus Aureus in the pathophysiology of Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Edward Cleland

PhD

2011-2014

The relevance of PNAG-producing S.aureus in predicting outcomes following endoscopic sinus surgery

Vikram Padhye

PhD

2012-2015

Early and late complications of endoscopic haemostatic techniques following different carotid artery injury characteristics

Ahmed Bassiouni

PhD

2012-2015

Understanding the role of eosinophilic inflammatory load, fibrosis and remodeling in patients with refractory chronic rhinosinusitis (rCRS) and failure of surgical and medical treatment

Dong Dong

Master of Surgery

2013-2014

Investigating the anti-bacterial properties of liposome-encapsulated Nitric oxide nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo

Honours Degree Projects available in ENT Surgery

Preclinical development of a compound to block microbial secreted toxins

Our pilot data shows that specific bacterial toxins cause damage to the epithelial barrier and are significantly correlated with disease severity. In this project we will screen a library of compounds and test their ability to block the activity of these toxins. In a second step we will test the efficacy of these compounds to block epithelial damage induced by the toxins in an in vivo murine model.

The use of a surgical hydrogel to prevent adhesions after abdominal surgery

Abdominal adhesions are frequent after abdominal surgery with often devastating consequences. In this project we will use a surgical hydrogel complexed with anti-microbial and anti-adhesive compounds to prevent the formation of adhesions after abdominal surgery in an in vivo murine model.

Despite extensive research in the bacteriological and immunological aspects of CRS, the pathogenetic basis of CRS remains poorly understood. Several of our research projects are aimed at understanding molecular, cellular, microbiological and immunological aspects of CRS. For this, we use state-of-the-art technologies and equipment and different physiologically relevant in vitro cell culture models.

New treatment strategies for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS)

Treatment of CRS is aimed at controlling rather than curing the disease. However, despite optimal treatment measures, a significant subset of patients do not respond well and require multiple surgical interventions and repetitive antibiotic treatments, favouring the development of Staphylococcus strains resistant to all known antibiotics (MRSA, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). There is thus a need for the identification of further and improved therapeutic targets to treat this complex disease.

We are investigating the safety and efficacy of different novel treatment compounds and formulations in vitro and in vivo, in our established animal model of sinusitis. In line with our translational vision, we are now also initiating different clinical trials aimed at delivering these novel treatment options to surgically recalcitrant CRS patients.

Professor PJ Wormald, in collaboration with a research team in New Zealand, was the first to develop a novel surgical gel (Chitosan-Dextran gel) that has shown positive effects on wound healing following Endoscopic Sinus Surgery. Different projects are investigating the use of the gel as a carrier for different pharmaceutical compounds in vitro, in vivo and in clinical studies in the immediate post-operative period.

Treatment of large vessel injuries as a complication of sinus surgery

We have established a large animal model to study different treatment possibilities to arrest bleeding from large vessel injuries and have ongoing projects on this topic.

Granting Body

Project Title

Type of Grant

Total Grant Amount

Funding Period

NHMRC

In vivo evaluation of the safety and efficacy of a novel chitosan gel in the reduction of adhesions following abdominal surgery in both animal and human models

The X-ray Crystallography Laboratory, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology and Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology

Jagiellonian University in Krakow

Krakow

Poland

Research Groups led by Prof. Clive Prestidge and A/Prof. B. Thierry

Department of Nanomedicine.
(1) NH&MRC project grant, A novel nitric oxide-based treatment for recalcitrant Staphylococcus aureus-associated chronic rhinosinusitis, (2) Development of novel nanoparticles for use in the treatment and prevention of bacterial biofilms

University of South Australia

Adelaide

Australia

Research Groups led by Prof. J. Mitchell and P. Speck

Department of Microbiology.
The use of a bacteriophage cocktail to treat bacterial biofilms

Flinders University

Adelaide

Australia

Special Phage Services

The use of a bacteriophage cocktail to treat bacterial biofilms

Sydney

Australia

Special Phage Services
Dr S. Kidd

Department of microbiology.
Genetics and genomics of small colony variants in CRS.